Month: August 2024

A question many home buyers often ask when planning a house move, should I use a professional removal company or do it myself? Choosing either option is entirely in your own hands, however you must evaluate the pros and cons for each option before making your decision. Hire a professional removal firm or hire a van yourself? Choosing between a DIY move or hiring a professional company is not an easy decision and is usually based on time versus money. Hiring a removal company may will save you time, but could be expensive, whereas moving yourself will save money but will be more time-consuming. Other factors that may sway your decision is the distance to be moved, the number items involved. In addition, whether you will require storage or not between moving dates. However, never underestimate the amount of physical and mental organisation it takes to move home. Packing boxes is one thing, but transporting them from A to B, is a different matter. It can be extremely exhausting, especially if you’re on a tight deadline. DIY Removals Option Many people choose this route when looking to cut costs after buying a house. Even though you are likely to save money, make sure you can perform a move without creating unnecessary stress. Think! Hiring a van yourself can be costly, especially for moves that take place over long distances (Van hire cost + petrol) and international moves should especially be done by professionals. e.g. considering border crossing and the paperwork that may be required. Also, you will need to take into account the cost of any damage that may occur in transit. It may be best to hire a vehicle suited for removals and get help from family and friends. Other benefits of a DIY move include packing items in your own time, safely handle fragile items and know exactly what goes where. Finally, you can also work to your own schedule but on the day of the move, you must be prepared to do multiple trips back and forth. Tips for DIY If you choose DIY, it is important to be ready. Make sure your transport is suitable and available if so, begin to plan the move. Start upstairs and empty one room at a time. Use durable boxes or plastic containers for better storage and handling. Label everything using a decent marker to help you at the other end. If you have fragile items, make sure they are properly packed. Do an inventory of your stuff and make notes on where you packed everything. Professional Removals Company Option Choosing a removal company, you need to think about budget, your schedule and whether you want just removals or full packing and unpacking services. To get a good indication of costs make sure that you get at least three quotes from reputable companies. Tips for using a professional removal company It is essential that you give all your moving requirements and logistics to avoid any unnecessary costs at a later stage. Write a brief for the company List all the contents you want moving Mark particular valuable items (consider separate insurance cover for these) Will any items need to storage until you are fully settled in to your new home Check the Review and testimonials of the company you are going to use Get your quote in writing Once you have accepted a quote, a date can be set, and your move can begin. In conclusion Using a professional removal company seems the least stressful way to move if your budget allows, but don’t ignore the risks. Damage of possessions is a real possibility, so make sure your insurance covers the move. However, if you are on a tight budget and have plenty of people to help a DIY removal can be the best option but be under no illusions it will be stressful and hard work. The choice is yours! Are you planning to move in 2024? Or perhaps you’re planning to upgrade or downsize in 2025? Speak to a member of our team to find out how we can take the stress out of moving home.  

Storing Items when moving house – Things you need to know… Moving day is approaching and you find yourself caught in a whirlwind. Sorting out packing, contract-signing, arranging utilities for your new home, registering your new address, etc. it’s quite easy soon get stressed out. There are things you can do to ease the pressure – like using a storage facility. Reduce the stress of moving day A storage facility is a way to take away some of the stress on moving day, it means not everything has to be done in one day. Staggering the moving of your belongings means you don’t have to do everything at once. You can move things you don’t currently need out of the house early and take things into your new home when you’re ready to find a place for them. If you sell your property and move your items into storage while renting or staying with family, you become a chain free buyer. This allows you to be more flexible, knowing your items are in good condition and safely stored. What is self-storage? Self-storage centres offer units of space varying in size. They’re designed to be safe and units are lockable from the outside and covered by CCTV and intruder alarms. They are convenient plus you can hire them for as long or as little time as you want, with size and cost flexible to your needs. Rough Guide to size of unit required Removal van size Approximate unit size Short wheelbase transit 35 square feet Long wheelbase high top transit 50 square feet Luton van 75 square feet 7.5 tonne Luton van 125 square feet 15 tonne Luton van 200 square feet Articulated lorry 300 square feet When should you use storage? Storage is ideal for: Clearing certain parts of the house ahead of moving day. Planning renovation or redecoration in their new home. Anyone who has extra complications on moving day e.g., if in a big housing chain or you plan on exchanging contracts on completion day. How much will storage cost? Difficult to say exactly how much storage costs as it’s dependent on the company you use and the size of the unit and how long you use it for. There are many elements of the cost of storage that you’ll need to think about. It is always wise to shop around. Look for weekly billing Most companies bill you monthly, which means if you run a day or two into the next month, you’ll end up paying for weeks of storage when you’re not using it. Therefore, if you can, find a storage company that bills weekly to give you a little bit more flexibility it would be wise. Be careful of introductory deals A lot of storage facilities offer deals like ‘first month free’ or ‘half price for the first 8 weeks. These may seem tempting however, these deals can end up costing you more in the long run. People tend to keep their stuff in storage for much longer than they plan – the average length of stay in storage believe it or not is 9 months – and storage companies know it. N.B. Discounts in the first couple of months might be cancelled out by the price of the following seven. Insurance Storage facilities are secure places but, it’s still worth taking out an insurance policy to cover your belongings if your existing home insurance doesn’t cover it. Beware of ‘inhouse’ insurance policies (insurance policies directly with the storage companies) they can often be extremely expensive. Storage Tips Storing long items on end to preserve floor space. Wrap and pack items properly will ensure they’re safe and protected from any moisture or damage. Take apart furniture to get it into the unit. (Don’t forget to attach screws etc so they don’t get lost) Make an inventory of everything going into your storage unit. This means knowing not only how many boxes and items there are, but what they include. Use a colour coding when labelling this does make this easier. If you are likely to be back and forth to your storage unit to access different items. Hope that this simple guide to storing items when moving house helps you make the correct decisions when moving home. Are you planning to move in 2024? Or perhaps you’re planning to upgrade or downsize in 2025? Speak to a member of our team to find out how we can take the stress out of moving home.